(River) Anton | |
---|---|
![]() The River Anton at Goodworth Clatford | |
Location | |
Country | England |
County | Hampshire |
Towns | Andover |
District/Borough | Test Valley |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Andover |
• coordinates | 51°13′40″N 1°28′56″W / 51.227661°N 1.4821377°W |
Mouth | |
• location | River Test at Goodworth Clatford |
• coordinates | 51°09′03″N 1°27′21″W / 51.150919°N 1.455768°W |
Length | 9.3 mi (15.0 km) |
Basin features | |
Progression | Andover, Test, Southampton Water (sub-arm of English Channel, arm of Atlantic Ocean) |
Tributaries | |
• right | Pillhill Brook |
The River Anton is a chalk stream in Hampshire in south east England. It rises in Andover and flows southwards for approximately 8 miles (13 km) to meet the River Test near Chilbolton.[1] The principal tributary of the Anton, the Pillhill Brook, joins the river at Upper Clatford.[2]
Course
The river rises in Anton Lakes nature reserve, in north Andover, just below King Arthur's Way, and flows through the centre of the town. It then flows in a southerly direction through the villages of Upper Clatford, Goodworth Clatford and Cottonworth before meeting the Test just below Chilbolton.[3] It is a chalk stream with failing quality water and supports a wide variety of wildlife. The river is the subject of the "River Anton Enhancement Strategy",[4] a partnership with several agencies and local organisations to improve the river.
Leisure facilities
The Anton has some very good trout fishing with frequent catches of large specimens; fly fishing is the only method allowed. The fishing rights are private.[citation needed]
Created as part of its Enhancement Scheme, the River Anton Way was originally a scenic 3.8 mi (6.1 km) walk along the river from Charlton Lakes in the north, via the town centre to Rooksbury Mill Local Nature Reserve in the south. In 2015, proposed by the Andover Ramblers and sponsored by Test Valley Borough Council, the way was extended by 5.5 mi (8.9 km) through the parishes of Upper Clatford, Goodworth Clatford, Wherwell and Chilbolton.[5]
Watermills
There were five watermills along the river; Anton Mill,[6] Town Mill,[7] and Rooksbury Mill,[8] all in Andover, along with Copthall Place Mill at Clatford[9] and Fullerton Mill.[10] Flour is still milled in Andover but at the electrically powered Junction Mills.[11]
Water quality
The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of invertebrates, angiosperms and fish. Chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations, is rated good or fail.[12]
Water quality of the River Anton in 2019:
Section | Ecological Status |
Chemical Status |
Overall Status |
Length | Catchment | Channel |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anton - Lower[13] | Moderate | Fail | Moderate | 7.077 km (4.397 mi) | 32.876 km2 (12.693 sq mi) | |
Anton - Upper[14] | Good | Fail | Moderate | 7.437 km (4.621 mi) | 99.822 km2 (38.541 sq mi) | Heavily modified; |
References
- ^ "River Anton, Hampshire". Westover Farm Partnership. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ Eilert Ekwall (1928). English River Names. OUP. p. 15.
- ^ Ordnance Survey (2004). OS Explorer Map 131 - Romsey, Andover & Test Valley. ISBN 0-319-23600-5.
- ^ TVBC Site, Anton River Enhancement Scheme
- ^ "River Anton Wey". Test Valley Borough Council. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ "Anton Mill, Andover". Mills Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Town Mill, Andover". Mills Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Rooksbury Mill, Andover". Mills Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Copthall Place Mill". Mills Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Fullerton Mill". Mills Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Junction Mills, Andover". Mills Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Glossary (see Biological quality element; Chemical status; and Ecological status)". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. 17 February 2016.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
- ^ "Anton - Lower". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.
- ^ "Anton - Upper". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.